Should your number be retired?

Sitting in my basement before Game 1 of the Detroit-Orlando series, I noticed a banner hanging in the Palace of Auburn Hills. It said Bon Jovi. It had the number 10 on it. What the ... why? Bon Jovi?

So I e-mailed Detroit Free Press columnist Michael Rosenberg, who was at the game.

"I have no idea," Mike wrote back. "Nobody should ever retire a number for a musician. In Philly they have Springsteen (45 sellouts) and Billy Joel (44). I'm wondering: do they really think Bruce is done selling out in Philly? Will they put up a new banner after every concert?"

I agreed. But this was worse than that. At least 45 and 44 are big numbers. Ten sellouts gets a banner in Detroit? It's Detroit. Poison could still sell out 10 shows in Detroit.

So I'm with Mike. No musicians in the rafters. Let's leave for the athletes. But which athletes?